As smartphones that run Google’s Android OS and Apple’s iOS have become more popular with the general population, they have found favor with soldiers and other military leaders. As a result, the U.S. military recently conducted an audit with the goal of evaluating how personal mobile devices affect a soldier's professional duty.

The audit specifically looked at the use of iOS, Android, and Windows Mobile devices among Army personnel and in Army facilities when the devices were connected to Wi-Fi networks. The Department of Defense says that it tracked the use of 842 devices and believes that the findings in the audit are indicative of the over 14,000 mobile devices that the Army has purchased for soldiers.

The audit reportedly found weaknesses in the mobile strategy of the Army and reports indicate that the Army Chief Information Officer, Lieutenant General Susan S Lawrence, failed to give a number of critical instructions to Army personnel. According to the audit, Lawrence did not require secure storage for data on mobile devices.

The audit also found that Lawrence didn't require the military to keep devices free of malware and monitor mobile devices while they were connected to computers. In addition, the audit discovered that there were almost 15,000 unauthorized devices in use with the Army.

The audit specifically discovered that there were 276 mobile devices in use at one facility while the chief information officer was only aware of 180 of those devices. Other concerns raised by the audit included the fact that many of the Army's mobile devices have no password protection, ran outdated versions of operating system, and many had no protective software installed.

quote: found weaknesses in the mobile strategy of the Army and reports indicate that the Army Chief Information Officer, Lieutenant General Susan S Lawrence, failed to give a number of critical instructions to Army personnel. According to the audit, Lawrence did not require secure storage for data on mobile devices.

I guess Jobs would say....."Your using it wrong". It's time for the blame game. I bet that CIO was against using IOS and Android phones in the first place. He's just the sucker getting the blame.

This story is NOT a surprise to me or anyone else who has a reasonable level of knowledge on this technology.

Security has always been BB's strength and this is THE perfect opportunity for them to get back to being the best secured cell phone. BB was the only phone the Arab's and other countries couldn't get access to the users texts/emails.

IOS and Android are NOT secured like BB. I have an android and understand its limits, but if I NEEDED a secure phone...BB would be my choice.

Apple just sucks IMO.

Best wishes BB,

“So far we have not seen a single Android device that does not infringe on our patents." -- Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith